Pan Post 37
Pan Post 37 continues the journey of Litik Map as he now wanders across the Jaravinjia Isles of Indra. He is met by Bernard the Clay-Pidgeon who relays a message from Nari, the Duke of Attallaj, who explains that he has granted freedom to the other realms of the Apojiva Valleys. Map then crashes a party of nayaraks who are joined by the Indran gods Rakimi and Ishvat. Rakimi speaks with Map and helps him better understand the nature of the universe by explaining the Realms of the NeSiverse. She hopes that, by better understanding the mechanics of the 8th Dimension, Map would be able to better utilise his foresight power. Rakimi & Ishvat Litik Map holds a tall plastic plate above his head via the long, thin handle. He peeks from beneath it to glance up at the callous sun, big and red in the day's sky. The Jaravinjia Isles are commonly known as the 'hot spot' of Indra but the season is making the land almost unbearable. And yet there's something charming about the white sand that glitters in the sun's light, reflecting back a mild pink hue. The spicy fragrance of the church trees hangs in the air. Unfortunately they may provide a pleasant scent but they're useless for shade, having short stubby branches and very slender green leaves. They've very tall trees and, as he glances up at one, he sees the leaves stick out of the trunk like feathers of a bird's tail, standing upright towards the sky. The bark of the trees is so soft that it squishes when Map presses it. The spice that makes them vulnerable to Indrans is actually their defence against the other animals that would have liked to burrow into its soft, nectar rich trunk. Without that spice, Map suspects the species would have gone extinct long ago. They almost did go extinct thanks to heavy logging by Indrans, but a conservation and management system saved the trees and still allows them to be cut down but with control and efficiency. Map quite admires the whole affair. The entire island populace seems to be infused with the idea of conservation and regulation of resources. He looks out to sea and watches the giant, spinning windmills that bask in the heavy ocean-wind. Painted bright red they certainly stand out from the gentle, sea-blue of the tropical water. Map tugs off his boots and skips across the scorching sand towards the lapping water. The ocean is quite warm, unfortunately he thinks, but just the feeling of liquid upon his skin is delicious under the oppressive sun's heat. He licks his lips, trying to get them moist. He's not wearing his armour, a terrible thing under most circumstances for a litik. The heat, however, means he simply couldn't stand being confined within the bodysuit for any longer. Litik Rjingi hadn't been very pleased, especially as they are to meet more of the Pantheon of Indra this day, but Map doesn't care. Rjingi can moan and whine all he likes about decorum, Map can moan and whine much louder and for longer when he's too hot. Map knows Rjingi is just a product of his upbringing, a boy of Penumbra and gifted with the sight so sent, early, to become a litik. Kamal is famous for having a great number of litiks under her guidance and so those litiks are often far more pompous and self-righteous than others. Conversely, thinks Map, he was born in Indrakata with Maharashtak for his patron - free-spirited and believing the gods serve the Indrans, not the other way around. Map thinks Pashna, with his accommodating and accepting nature, would have made better company for this journey. Poor Pashna... Map twirls his parasol a little and watches the sparse tassels swing by his face. The tassels don't do much, but Map is grateful for every little extra help in staving off the sun. The plastic plate itself is doing most of the work, casting a solid shadow over his wearing bulbous head. While he's there, playing in the water with his parasol above him, he hears a weird cooing noise and looks up from the clear water to see an object wobbling towards him. It's about the size of his head and made of clay. As it comes straight at him, Map, defensively, holds his parasol before him. The clay-pidgeon crashes straight into the plastic with a shocked squeak and plops into the salt water. Map, after recollecting himself from the shock, scoops Bernard out of the water. Map gives the bird a good shake, rattling out the water that has seeped into the robot's crevices. Map: '"Whatever are you doing here, birdy?" ''Bernard coos but its a forlorn sound mixed with gurgling. Its mouth opens and water drips out. '''Map: "Well you will go flying at people. Maybe you should watch where you're going?" Bernard coughs up water, splashing it on Map's chin. Map: '"Dirty little squawker. I should throw you back in that ocean." ''The bird gives a more confident cooing this time and his audio files begin to play. '''Nari: "Litiks Map and Rjingi. This is Nari, Duke of Attallaj. I first want to express my thanks, again, for taking on the quest that was once Kara Pashna's. I am sorry to tell you that Pesu has now forbidden all entreaties in Pashna's name, and so you are to remain his heralds. I am sending you this message to keep you informed of events here in the Apojiva Valleys in case you return here on your way back to Penumbra..." There's a very clear pause. Nari: "Frankly, you may wish to avoid the valleys altogether. This hasn't yet been made official but I have decided to grant the counts their independence from my dukedom. It's a dark day indeed but we simply cannot afford to keep fighting when the planet's destruction looms. As stirrings a rumours have now become well circulated, I am going to make a public declaration concerning the need for work and information on the coming catastrophe. Other lands have already openly declared the emergency and so I shall follow suit. I hope I can maintain calm amongst the people and give them an objective to solve. It's nothing but a sham, of course. But it will be a project for them to believe in. I'll have them build a monument of some kind, I'll claim it's a ward or a beacon to the aliens. With a project the people will have hope. Please use this divine device to tell me of your own progress. Good luck." Litik Map sighs. Independence for the other valleys may not be a bad thing but if the alien comes to blow everyone up then the people aren't going to get to enjoy their new freedom for very long. Map found the politics of the Apojiva Valleys to be very confusing. All these dukes, counts, birthrights and monogamy. He thinks it all seems very convoluted. Why were these lands obsessed with ruling anyway? He couldn't see the point in trying to force others to follow your ideas. What if your ideas are wrong? How do you know you have the right ideas? Map makes a quick reply to update the duke. He tells him of their position, their meeting with Maharashtak and their current destination. He wishes the duke well and luck in return and throws Bernard up into the air. The little clay and wood machine flaps its wooden wings and sets off again. Despite being clumsy Map realises the thing in unnaturally fast as it speeds across the ocean. He silently wishes the bird its own luck and he starts to walk along the beach, stepping through the surf as it gently sweeps up over his feet before slipping back out again. The idea that this motion might, one day, be ceased is a sudden and strange contemplation. It's difficult to imagine the constant rhythm of the ocean might never be. Then he hears cheering. He follows the sound and runs across the beach. One one of the other islands he can see lots of native Jaravinjians cheering and celebrating. The water between him and them isn't great, nor very deep, and so he starts to tread water as he makes his way across the shallows. At high tide, he might have been wading, but now the water is nothing to worry about. As he gets nearer he can see the men and women are standing around fires they'd lit - almost making Map turn about face and run away from the extra heat that would create. He senses, though, that evening is due and the fires would provide ample light for the continuing festivities. As he gets nearer, however, he sees that the Indrans are acting strangely. The men are wearing women's clothes and the women are wearing men's clothes. In Indrakata, cross-dressing isn't an unusual thing and many were free to do so. Outside of the liberal city, however, he'd never seen any such thing. The smaller the communities, usually the more conservative they are. And yet here he could see very open and free-loving people dancing about in their opposite's clothing. Additionally he almost blushes with surprise as he sees many women exposing their tails. Indran women have a bush of tails, much like a group of fins, that stick out from the bottom of their spines. Usually these tails are objects of sexual attraction and gratification, normally saved for the bedroom, but here the women have them out and wiggle them freely before all the men. Map has never been attracted to women and yet even he can't help but be embarrassed by the show of nakedness. He draws close and a couple of people cheer to him, inviting him to join them. They're all suddenly distracted, however, by something out to sea. They all turn and cheer as loudly as ever. Out to sea Map sees something huge and pink. Rakimi has four arms, pink-skin and a red bulb. She is wearing a dress of sea green and yellow, which billows wildly behind her as she rides across the ocean. There's a deep growl of thunder somewhere above them but the only lightning to be seen is the constant ebb of static from the god's head. Sometimes it snaps wildly at the ocean and he wonders if its striking some unfortunate fish that happen to be swimming nearby. Map joins the other Indrans and one of the women hands him a small block of sutade. He's very grateful and he places it against his cheek. The wet and coolness of it soothes his dry skin but he doesn't divert his attention from the surfing god. As she nears he tries to catch a glimpse of Ishvat; her surfboard and close friend. The water is cut aside by the god Ishvat as she swims towards the island, balancing Rakimi upon her back. She grins madly as she enjoys the attention from her worshippers on the island. When the two of them reach the beach, Rakimi jumps off and lands in the water, while Ishvat comes bounding out of the water towards them. She runs at them and then shakes herself so that water flies at them. The people laugh and Map is quick to lower his parasol to get a good, pleasing spray of water on his skin too. Ishvat is wearing very revealing clothing, which reminds Map of female prostitutes back in Indrakata. She has very short knickers of white and a white bra. Around her neck is a necklace of water lilies. Like the women on the beach, this raunchy god had her tails out. They flutter from the rushing water they'd been in and Map swallows hard. It is embarrassing enough to see the women around him exposing their tails, but the god has double the size of tails and they're perfectly sculpted and wonderfully coloured. Her skin is pale green but her tails are faded to white with little flecks of blue. Most Indran women didn't get those flecks and those that did were considered lucky and extra attractive. Only a few of the women around him had them but none of them were as perfectly pretty as the tails of the god. Map wonders how the heterosexual men around him must feel right about now. As Rakimi walks towards them, joining Ishvat, Map notes the friendship bands on the gods arms - forever binding the two of them as friends to the end. The sentiment is a popular one across Indra and imitated by many Indrans, especially teenagers. Here, however, Map sees that almost all of the partiers have friendship bracelets, often more than one. Ishvat: "I spy, with my beautiful eye..." Her voice is powerful and jovial with a giddy gleeful quality that sounds like she's about to break into laughter at the end of every sentence. Ishvat: "A litik!" Those around Map give mock jeers. Those that realise she's looking at him give Map a slap on the back or on his bum, urging him to approach her. Rakimi, curious, draws up beside her green-skinned cohort. They stand, towering over Map and cast him in shadow. He's silently very grateful. Rakimi: '''"What brings a litik to this little celebration?" '''Map: "Sorry. I didn't know it was a private party!" There's a lot of laughing and many shouts of reassurance from the people behind him. Ishvat: "It's not private, it's just unusual to be getting a litik at a party for Nayaraks!" Map groans with realisation. Map: '"Oh right! I didn't realise that's what you were doing out here. I just thought it was a random party, so I came to crash it. Well, I appreciate all the hard work that Nayaraks put in, so does that mean I get to stay?" ''He turns his head to grin at the nayaraks behind him. They cheer in appreciation. '''Ishvat: "Sounds like a yes, right?" Rakimi: '''"If you'd been here a while ago you'd have been here for the karas' meet up." '''Map: "Sorry I missed that. I was probably in Apojiva Valleys or in Indrakata." Rakimi kneels down on the sand so that she can get closer to Map's height. Ishvat starts dancing on the sand and the nayaraks, the backbone of the Indran religion and often unacknowledged heroes of the world, join in. This is a celebration of everything that they are and that much needed acknowledgement from a god that they do good work and they are forever blessed by her. Ishvat has disproportionately high numbers of nayaraks that serve her, probably because of just such a celebration. Only Maharashtak comes close to having so many nayaraks of her own. Map tries not to stare at her tails as they wiggle in her dancing moves. Rakimi, on the other hand, generally favours karas. She didn't have an outstanding number of them, as karas are simply promotions of lower ranks, but her karas are normally the most well-known of all karas in Indran cities. Being associated with healing and doctors, karas under Rakimi often have superior healing skills to other talents karas possess. This makes them highly sought after in sick-stricken lands of the world. Rakimi: '''"But what truly brings you here, litik? I sense an air of destiny around you." '''Map: "I'm crossing the ocean to get to Loch Kavili..." He explains his tale, from the vision of Litik Rjingi, his meeting Kara Pashna and Pashna's quest for his patron Jitarayara. Pesu's killing of Pashna and the failed entreaties for his return. Rjingi's second vision atop of Ovai and the advice of Maharashtak. Rakimi closes her white eyes as she listens to his tale. When he's done she opens them slowly but doesn't look at him. She's looks off into the distance. Rakimi: "It is good to meet you at last then." Map: '"You... know me?" '''Rakimi: '"By reputation. More so your companion Litik Rjingi. News of his vision spread through the Jaravinjia Isles quickly. Some of my karas attended Kamal's group-vision ceremony and so they came back with this sorry tale to tell. When the people learnt of it they panicked but soon a... new cult began." 'Map: '"A cult? What kind of cult? Like doomsday cult?" '''Rakimi: "Exactly. They believe that the aliens will come and those who are worthy will be taken away aboard the alien ship while Indra is destroyed." Map couldn't help himself and started giggling in disbelief. Rakimi didn't join in and he tries to compose himself. Map: '''"That's... just crazy. Nothing like that has been foreseen." '''Rakimi: "No it hasn't. And yet belief often has little foundation. My people don't believe in me, they know me. They do believe that I shall protect them, however, and so even the cultists have started to think of me as an alien god that has been secretly living amongst the people here all this time..." Map laughs again but then he looks at Rakimi's face. Map: '"Uh... haha... it's not true, right?" ''Now Rakimi gets to laugh. Her laugh is more of a mild titter than the arrogant guffaw of Ishvat. '''Rakimik: "Come now, would you really think that? I do exist partially on another plane of existence - that is where they are drawing their assumptions. It's almost cute in its naïvety. But other planes, or realms, are not different places in universe, its is another universe. When you enter a vision, you access those realms. Breaking through one to gain entry into another." Map nods. Map: "Yeah, I know. It's a strange thing to do, really. I don't know what it feels like for you, but for me it feels really weird. Surface reading is easy and comfortable. I spent years watching Kara Pashna before I met him but they weren't visions of the future, just echoes of the past. But when I get a real vision... it's nasty. That other plane is... something else." Rakimi: '"You're experiencing the 5th Realm. And not a nice part of it. It's a Realm that exists beyond time and space and is where deities live or spawn." '''Map: '"Oh really? But if it's where the gods originate, why does it feel so..." 'Rakimi: '"Unwelcoming? Unclean? Demonic? Deities aren't always good. There are beings that would make Pesu seem charming." '''Map: "You mean... alien gods? Actual ''alien gods, not you." '''Rakimi:' "In a manner, yes. The 5th Realm is much like this one, this being the 6th, in that there's locations. The biggest location, and the first one that almost anyone breaking that boundary enters, is named Tartarus. It's from there that the demons enter our world when you open a crack between diensions." Map: "I see. I do have one question though..." Rakimi: "What's that?" Map: "Why in the name of buggery didn't you tell us all this before ''now?" '''Rakimi:' "We are not here to tell you the secrets of the universe. We help you, we guide you, but we cannot live your lives for you. You have to do it on your own. Now that secrets of the universe have inadvertently unfolded before you, we will have to help guide you down a new path of discovery. I can now give you extra knowledge that will guide you in your understanding but the path must be walked by you and you alone. When your mind next enters the 8th Dimension--" Map: '''"Is that the Realm beyond the other plane? Beyond the demonic plane?" '''Rakimi: "That's right. The Unwritten Realm is another name for it. It's where the mists of what might be, what could be, can be found. And that is why you are able to see your visions. Next time you are there, this understanding may give you the insight you need to help focus your efforts on seeking the answers you need. By understanding the realms, you can better utilise their bounty." Map: "Wait... why do I go through the 5th to get to the 8th? Shouldn't I go through the 7th?" Rakimi just looks at him for a moment. She then shrugs. 'Rakimi: '"Wibbly-wobbly." Notes Britt's Commentary "The two gods Ishvat and Rakimi represent the two months of JulyJuly article, Wikipedia. and AugustAugust article, Wikipedia.. The freedom gained by the valleys in the Apojiva Valleys represents the Independence DayIndependence Day (United States) article, Wikipedia. of the U.S.A., which happens in July. The weather presented mark the Dog DaysDog Days article, Wikipedia. of July and Rakimi is the patron of karas because National Doctor's DayNational Doctor's Day article, Wikipedia. in India takes place during July - karas being expert healers. The cult that Rakimi describes is influenced by the World UFO DayWorld UFO Day article, Wikipedia. and X-Day (Church of the SubGenius)X-Day (Church of the SubGenius) article, Wikipedia.. Finally the static seen around Rakimi's head is not only an interesting detail for the god but was inspired because of Tesla DayNikola Tesla in popular culture article, Nikola Tesla Day section, Wikipedia. in July. The idea for Rakimi to ride Ishvat came from the Indian gods KaliKali article, Wikipedia. and ShivaShiva article, Wikipedia. - Kali stands upon, and dominates, Shiva. The image is striking and I thought it would be great to incorporate that into two Indran gods. The reason this post takes place at sea is because Sea Org DayScientology Holidays article, Wikipedia., a ScientologyChurch of Scientology article, Wikipedia. holiday that takes place at sea, happens in August. Plus I had already name-dropped the Jaravinjian Isles several times in earlier posts and decided it was time to actually visit them. Ishvat is patron of the nayaraks because World Humanitarian DayWorld Humanitarian Day article, Wikipedia. also happens in August and nayaraks most closely resemble real life humanitarians. Briefly I describe wind turbines out in the ocean that provide power to the islands - this was inspired by the Indian Akshay Urja DayIndian Akshay Urja Day article, Wikipedia., which is an Indian awareness day about renewable energy. The cross-dressing comes from the HartjesdagHartjesdag article, Wikipedia. festival, a Dutch festival specifically about cross-dressing, while the partying and the constant smile and joy on Ishvat comes from the Secret Society of Happy PeopleSecret Society of Happy People article, Wikipedia., which was founded in August. The friendship bracelets they're all wearing is because of the Friendship DayFriendship Day article, Wikipedia. celebrations of South American countries. Finally the 'bare naked tails' is a kind of parody and commentary on female nakedness, inspired by the Go Topless DayGo Topless Day article, Wikipedia.." - Britt the Writer References External References Category:Post Category:Pan Post